Did You Ever See a River?
$1.80
2-part school children’s anthem
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Written for the Houston Children’s Chorus, this is a fun piece with a funky New Orleans jazz feel. The anthem contains an original melody and lyric (by the late J. Paul Williams) but also includes the traditional spiritual “Roll, Jordan, Roll,” as well as a short quote of “Wade in the Water”. Although this anthem is a lot of fun to sing, it also provides a great opportunity to teach children the history of spirituals and the Underground Railroad, and how they were used to inform slaves of escape routes and timing.
Did you ever see a river flowing peacefully
With its changeless current gliding silently?
Did you ever see a river gently movin' on
Rolling peacefully until the break of dawn?
(ROLL, JORDAN, ROLL)
Brothers, you should have been there, yes, my Lord
A-sittin' in the kingdom to hear old Jordan roll.
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Gonna lay down my burden by the river Jordan.
Did you ever see a river flowing fast and free (like the Colorado)?
With its raging current rushing endlessly (like the old Niagara)?
Did you ever see a river, have you ever heard it pound?
Rollin' fast and free with thunder sound.
(ROLL, JORDAN, ROLL)
Roll, Jordan, roll! Roll, Jordan, roll.
I want to go to heaven when I die to hear old Jordan roll.
Roll, Jordan, roll! Roll, Jordan, roll. (Brothers, you should have been there, yes, my Lord)
I want to go to heaven when I die to hear old Jordan roll.
(A-sittin' in the kingdom to hear old Jordan roll.)
O hear old Jordan roll! O hear old Jordan roll! (Roll, Jordan, roll!)
Did you ever see a river like the Jordan roll?
With its changeless current gliding silently?
Did you ever see a river gently movin' on
Rolling peacefully until the break of dawn?
(ROLL, JORDAN, ROLL)
Brothers, you should have been there, yes, my Lord
A-sittin' in the kingdom to hear old Jordan roll.
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Gonna lay down my burden by the river Jordan.
Did you ever see a river flowing fast and free (like the Colorado)?
With its raging current rushing endlessly (like the old Niagara)?
Did you ever see a river, have you ever heard it pound?
Rollin' fast and free with thunder sound.
(ROLL, JORDAN, ROLL)
Roll, Jordan, roll! Roll, Jordan, roll.
I want to go to heaven when I die to hear old Jordan roll.
Roll, Jordan, roll! Roll, Jordan, roll. (Brothers, you should have been there, yes, my Lord)
I want to go to heaven when I die to hear old Jordan roll.
(A-sittin' in the kingdom to hear old Jordan roll.)
O hear old Jordan roll! O hear old Jordan roll! (Roll, Jordan, roll!)
Did you ever see a river like the Jordan roll?
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